This is one hot and cheesy appetizer! Luxuriously smooth, creamy filling with hand-picked crab, fresh spinach, and three kinds of cheese. This Crab and Spinach Dip is a wonderful appetizer for a special dinner, game day, or any other time you're feeling indulgent.
This gluten-free crab and spinach dip can be assembled in a snap. There is only a little bit of easy prep to do before mixing and baking this dip that is even simple enough that your kids could help you!
Another reason I like this dip is you can repurpose the filling to make it a main dish or even breakfast. You can toss it with pasta or reheat a scoop of spinach and crab dip on a piece of bread for a delicious avocado toast topper.
Read on for all the loving details to make this simple Crab and Spinach Dip.
Jump to:
Featured Ingredients
Read below about a few of the ingredients used to make a Crab and Spinach Dip.
Crab - 6-8 ounces is a good amount for his recipe. You can hand-pick your own from fresh crab or purchase pre-picked crab. Imitation crab (Krab) is quite a bit sweeter than the real stuff, so I wouldn't recommend it for this hot dip.
Spinach - This one uses fresh spinach! Often, you'll find dip recipes using frozen spinach, which is fine, but that takes a little forethought. Defrosting, squeezing all the moisture out, more dishes... etc. I like just throwing in a few handfuls of fresh baby spinach and calling it good!
Cheese - I add cream cheese spread for creaminess, which is softer than cream cheese blocks and doesn't need nearly as long to get soft enough to blend. Jarlsberg and Mozzarella (freshly shredded from the block, please) are added for flavor, as well as those long, melty cheese pulls we all crave!
Garlic - This recipe uses two versions of garlic, and both are necessary, so don't skimp! You'll use the fresh garlic to toss with butter and crab, and the garlic powder is mixed with the other dry seasonings.
See recipe card for quantities.
Tools for the job
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sharp knife (paid link) and cutting board
- Large bowl
- Stirring spoon/spatula
- Small nonstick skillet
- Hand beaters or stand mixer
- Baking dish
How to make Crab and Spinach Dip
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Warm a small pan on the stove over medium heat to melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and let it cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the crab to the garlic butter, tossing to coat the crab well.
- While the butter is melting, combine the rest of the dip ingredients. In a large bowl, add the spinach, crab, mayonnaise, cream cheese spread, half the mozzarella, half the Jarlsberg, minced shallot, lemon juice, and seasonings.
- Using hand beaters, thoroughly mix all the ingredients together on a lower setting. (Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer on medium-low.) I start by creaming the mayonnaise, cream cheese spread, and seasonings, then pulling the rest of the solid ingredients into the mix with the hand beaters.
- When the rest is well combined, add the buttery crab to the bowl of spinach dip and fold it in, being careful not to break up the crab too much.
- Pour the dip into a baking dish and top with the remaining mozzarella and Jarlsberg cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Serve the hot crab and spinach dip immediately.
Add all the ingredients (except crab) into a large bowl and combine.
Melt the butter and add the minced garlic and simmer for a few minutes.
Turn off the heat and give the crab a bath in the garlic butter!
Add the buttered crab to the rest of the dip and gently combine. Turn out into a baking dish and top with the remaining shredded cheese.
Substitutions and Variations
- Artichokes - OK, this is spinach dip's best friend, and it does not disappoint when added to this recipe. Before folding in the crab, add one 14-ounce can of quartered and drained artichoke hearts, roughly chopped.
- Crunchy topper - I love a baked dip with a crispy layer. Toast ⅔ cup panko or breadcrumbs in the pan after removing the garlic butter and crab until the color on the panko darkens, about 5 minutes. Shake the pan often so it doesn't burn. Add it on top of the shredded cheese before baking.
- Even spicier! - I recommend adding a little bit of red pepper flakes, though I left that optional in the recipe. Another tasty addition would be a minced jalapeno pepper stirred into the dip before baking.
- Use shrimp - Either add a cup of bay shrimp to the dip or replace the crab with 1-2 cups of your favorite type of shrimp. If you're using larger shrimp, chop them in half or thirds.
Leftovers
- Store leftover dip in the refrigerator either in a sealed container or well wrapped in the baking dish with foil or plastic wrap.
- Reheat in the oven at 350°F until the cheese melts again.
- This dip does not freeze well.
FAQ
This dip can be served with crackers, tortilla chips, toast points, and crostini. It is also great with roasted potatoes as a gluten-free option. Or enjoy with celery and carrot sticks.
This is a completely personal question with many different answers. I am not a health food website, so I cannot speak to the health factors of this dish. However, if you know what you do or don't want to include in your diet, you can decide with the information provided in the nutritional stats below the recipe. This dip is gluten-free if that is something you're looking for.
Food safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
More dairy packed recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
More appetizers
Here are a few more appy's you might like:
Crab and Spinach Dip
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 16 servings
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Luxuriously smooth, creamy filling with hand-picked crab, fresh spinach, and three kinds of cheese. This Crab and Spinach Dip is a wonderful appetizer for a special dinner, game day, or any other time you're feeling indulgent.
Ingredients
- 5 ounces fresh chopped spinach
- 8 ounces cream cheese spread
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 cup shredded Jarlsberg cheese, divided
- ½ cup minced shallot
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 6-8 ounces fresh-picked or canned crab
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Warm a small pan on the stove over medium heat to melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and let it cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the crab to the garlic butter tossing to coat the crab well.
- While the butter is melting, add the spinach, crab, mayonnaise, cream cheese spread, half the mozzarella, half the Jarlsberg, minced shallot, lemon juice, and seasonings to a large mixing bowl (paid link). Using electric hand beaters, thoroughly combine all the ingredients together on a lower setting. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer on medium-low.
- Add the buttery crab to the bowl of spinach dip and gently fold it in with a spatula. Pour the dip into a baking dish and top with the remaining mozzarella and Jarlsberg cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: appetizer
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Comments
No Comments